Thank you, giant squid
by Iamcarterman
Summary: Katie writes a letter to the giant squid, thanking him for pulling Oliver Wood into the lake that fateful day. KBOW.


**A/N: Another Katie and Oliver one-shot. Not my only favorite couple…but I do like writing them. **

Laughter and talk echoed across the courtyard, mingled with the soft, whistling of the wind and the occasional splashes from the sparkling, depths of the lake. The waters reflected the blazing, smiling sun and the endless stretch of sapphire sky, dotted with wispy clouds. The inhabitants of Hogwarts were celebrating the end of exams and the drawing close of the term, the students stretched out on the grass, chattering carelessly. Worries of Sirius Black blew away with the breeze.

Fred and George Weasley's flamboyant hair glowed brightly underneath the shade of the oak tree, mischievous grins crossing their faces as they talked to their accomplice, Lee Jordan. A few giggling first years stuck their feet in the lake, their ties loosened and their shoes piled in a heap beside them. Katie Bell stretched out dangerously near the edge of the lake, her eyes falling on the ripples stretching out in the lake as the giant squid lazily propelled itself through the glittering waters. She followed suit of the first years, her shoes tossed haphazardly off her aching feet, the heels sunk in the dirt. The sleeves of her pressed oxford were cuffed up neatly to her elbows, her hands stained with ink from the Self-Inking Quill she clutched in her hand. Her brown waves threatened to topple out of its elastic, spilling over her shoulders. Her Gryffindor tie sat, abandoned beside her.

Her eyes fell on the parchment before her, a few words scribbled down across it. She began writing again when a pair of large hands obscured her view from the courtyard, basking in the bright sun. "Hey, Oliver," she said dryly. The hands lifted from her face.

"Damn," his voice said disappointed. She grinned and tilted up her head to stare up at him. The wind ran through his already, tousled brown locks. He had a scruffy look about him, but it worked for him; his wrinkled oxford was buttoned messily and rolled up sloppily to his elbows. He traded the obligatory grey trousers for worn jeans, a tattered hole in the knee. His hazel eyes twinkled in the sunlight, a grin settled on his face.

She felt his unshaven face scrap her smooth skin as he placed a small kiss on her cheek, plopping down gracelessly beside her, his shadow falling on the parchment. "What are you doing?" he asked.

She swatted him away from the parchment. "A letter," she said, but Oliver had already read what she had written. His laughter echoed across the lake, startling the first year girls from their conversation.

"To the giant squid?" he chortled.

"Don't laugh," she snapped, pulling the letter out of his grasp.

Truthfully, she felt as though she had owed the giant squid a lot. She remembered it clearly in her mind, a smile crossing her lips at the memory. It was around spring, the sun smiling at its reflection in the lake and the skies blue, but not quite as blue as today. Katie was chattering to Leanne happily as they crossed the grounds, their books clutched in their hands.

"Okay, time to study for Transfiguration," Leanne said briskly, sitting down underneath the forgiving shade of the oak tree. Katie followed, sitting down reluctantly on the grass. She never liked Transfiguration, and it certainly did not like her. She drew her knees up to her chin, staring down at the papers and books Leanne spread across the soft blanket of green. As Leanne droned on about Animagi, her head drooped down on her knees, her eyes staring at the grass blankly.

"Katie? Are you listening?" Leanne snapped impatiently, tugging at her sleeve. She jerked out of her reverie, looking at Leanne's nasty look.

"I-erm--"

A loud splash and a scream echoed across the courtyard. They jerked their heads toward the lake, large ripples disturbing the smooth surface of the lake, the giant squid flailing its large tentacles. Someone was bobbing in the water, sputtering and thrashing his arms wildly. A crowd of second year girls screamed wildly, backing away from the lake, leaving their books and shoes at the edge. A few clamored from their spots on the grass, running toward the lake. Katie, grateful for a distraction, ran toward the lake with Leanne behind her.

"He can't _swim_!" a second year shrieked, losing her head completely as Katie drew near. She glanced at the figure thrashing about in the water, a tentacle narrowing missing his head. She recognized the face, her heart sinking.

"Wood," she murmured to herself.

"The giant squid _dragged _him in--" Katie did not think as she pulled off her shoes and hurried into the lake, the cold water splashing on her feet. She slipped on the slimy rocks underneath her, falling headfirst into the lake. Her head throbbed as she lifted her head, her oxford clinging to her skin as she waded out deeper in the lake, spotting Oliver Wood yelping as he splashed his arms wildly in the water, adding to the pandemonium. His head was submerged in a water a second later; Katie's heart thumped in her chest as she dove down underneath the water, her arms working furiously. She stared down at the dark depths of the water, lifting her head to the light surface, staring at the dark figure sinking steadily to the bottom. She propelled herself toward the figure, working her arms furiously, her eyes fixed on Oliver.

She reached out her hand, curling her fingers around his arm and jerking his heavy body toward the surface. She broke the surface, gasping for breath as the cold, wind whipped around her wet face. She screamed as a tentacle curled around her body and threw her and Oliver out of the lake. She felt her hand tighten around his arm as she flew through the air, falling heavily on the edge of the lake, her face smashing into the wet dirt. Relieved sighs filled the air, the shrieks and mutters fading away.  
"Oh my God!" Leanne's voice pierced the air as her feet pounded against the grass. Katie lifted her head, her locks plastered to her face and the dirt falling off her skin. She ignored the dirt on her face and turned back to the arm she clutched, the arm that was connected to Oliver Wood. His body was sprawled out across the dirt, his head submerged in the shallow waters of the lake. Gasping, her head pounding, she grabbed his shoulders and pulled him out of the water. His eyes shot open, staring up at her, his gasping breaths mingling with her own. His oxford was dripping with water, clinging to his burly figure, revealing every muscular--she blinked, tearing her eyes away and settling on his face. His bemused eyes met hers.

"Hey, Wood. You okay?" she asked, a grin settling on her face.

"Couldn't be better," he said grinning back. "You're bleeding," he added, his grin fading as he sat up and placed a hand on the cut across her cheek.

"Let's get you to the hospital wing," he said standing up, his trousers clinging to his legs, dripping with water. He shook his head in the similar movement of a dog, the water flying everywhere. He seemed perfectly well for someone who had got tossed into the lake, nearly drowned, and tossed out by the giant squid. Dripping wet, they walked toward the castle, ignoring the talk echoing through the courtyard. She barely heard Leanne screaming after her. She was too busy staring up in Oliver's face, his brown eyes twinkling as he grinned down at her. The marble floors suffered from the water and mud they tracked in through the corridors as they walked to the hospital wing. It was lucky that they did not bump into Filch.

"Oh my goodness!" Madam Pomfrey said wildly, darting around them. "What _happened_?"

"Oliver got pulled into the lake…I went in to save him and we got tossed back out," Katie said smiling at Madam Pomfrey who was shoving them onto beds and tossing them spare, warm clothes as she rattled through a shelf full of potions. She placed screens around their beds as they changed. Katie peeled off her soaking clothes, tugging on the loose robes and sitting on her bed.

Madam Pomfrey pulled down the screens, forcing down a beaker of Pepper-up Potion down Oliver's throat and then down Katie's. She choked on the burning potion, warmth spreading through her. A liberal amount of steam gushed out of her ears. "Oh, and that cut!" Madam Pomfrey mumbled about the dangers of lakes and giant squids as she dotted Katie's cut with a purple salve. It stung slightly, but the pain subsided as soon as she tapped her wand on her cheek. Katie felt the skin mending; she placed her hand on her face, feeling the smooth skin.

"And you're staying here for the day," Madam Pomfrey ordered them bossily.

Katie did not mind a bit as she smiled brightly at Oliver Wood.

She did not forget Leanne's face when she looked up from her Transfiguration book to see Oliver and Katie walking into the common room, hand-in-hand.

"Are you done yet?" Oliver said teasingly, leaning across her shoulder.

"Actually, I am," Katie informed him, folding the parchment and placing it near the edge of the lake. The giant squid splashed in the water, sending small waves across the lake. The waves engulfed the parchment and floated away into the depths of the waters. She stared as it disappeared with a wave of a tentacle.

"Why'd you write to the giant squid?" Oliver said grinning broadly.

"Oh…telling him that he should pull you into the lake more often," she said nonchalantly, ignoring his protests and pulling him down for a chaste kiss on the lips. Of course, the chaste kiss turned into a full-fledged session of snogging by the lake. The giant squid did not object to it, but Fred and George, watching from their tree, gagged and made faces, deciding what to throw toward the couple's way.

The giant squid continued to make ripples across the lake, swimming lazily across the lake. Someone had used the toilet in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom and flushed it, sending the ghost zooming down into the lake. The ghost floated along in the dark depths of the lake, surprised as a piece of parchment fluttered by, the bold words smudged slightly by the water.

_Dear Giant Squid (Mr. Squid), _

_Thank you so much. If you hadn't pulled Oliver Wood into the water, then I would've never known that he fancied me and we wouldn't have snogged as much as we have now. 'Course, all that snogging is going to have to come to an end because he's graduating…but he promises he'll wait for me. So thanks a lot, Mr. Squid, if I may call you that. I really owe you. If you can't read, I'll be sure to send something down there. What do you like to eat? I'll just toss some toast in the lake tomorrow. _

_Much thanks and love,_

_Katie Bell _


End file.
